(Mountainfilm Tour | Photo courtesy of The Environmental Center)
Mountainfilm on Tour is back in a hybrid format for 2022
Mountainfilm on Tour-Bend will be offered as a hybrid event this year that can be experienced from the comfort of home and at the theater. Mountainfilm on Tour showcases a selection of culturally rich, adventure-packed documentary films curated from the annual Mountainfilm festival held in Telluride, Colorado.
This inspiring film event is a fundraiser for The Environmental Center. We’re offering two shows, each with different films.
- In person show: Saturday, February 19, 7pm at the Tower Theatre.
- Virtual show: Thursday, February 24 through Sunday, February 27.
Tickets are on sale now! View the film selections and ticket information at envirocenter.org/mountainfilm.
In addition, we’re curating an online raffle with grand prize ski packages and several prize bundles with various gift cards, gear and rentals, local experiences and more. If you’re interested in donating a product or service to our raffle, please fill out this form. Thank you!
Time to Celebrate an Oregon Climate Win!
In December, Oregon took one of its biggest steps ever toward reducing climate pollution and delivering a stable climate for the future. The Climate Protection Program adopted by the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission on December 16th will help secure a healthy climate future, invest in frontline communities and hold corporate polluters accountable. This makes Oregon only the third state to require reductions in harmful greenhouse gas emissions!
The decision came after a robust year-and-a-half-long rulemaking process, extensive advocacy from climate and environmental justice advocates and over 7,600 comments from the public.
Our youth education team is back to in-person teaching after winter break! Here are some highlights from the first session of EarthSmart, and hopefully the end of virtual teaching:
- We reached 460 students via Zoom, Google Meet or WebEx from September to December.
- Seven schools and 18 classrooms participated.
- Each school received their own worm composting bin.
- Amazing thank you notes from students like the one below!
We are still scheduling winter/spring EarthSmart — a free, interactive classroom science series. If you’re a fourth or fifth grade teacher in Central Oregon, reach out to becca@envirocenter.org to learn more.
“Never stop teaching EarthSmart because you can teach more people to help save the planet!”
Introducing the Green Leadership Coalition
Check out this new student-led initiative in Central Oregon!
The Green Leadership Coalition is a group of passionate leaders and advocates for sustainability in local schools. The GLC brings together and supports high school students who want to make a change within their schools and communities. Learn more here.
The Green Leadership Coalition’s first meeting will be held on January 23 at 4pm at The Environmental Center. All high schoolers interested in sustainability are welcome.
Season of Nonviolence
Inspired by the work of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., César Chávez and Chief Wilma Mankiller, the annual Season for Nonviolence honors these leaders’ visions for an empowered, nonviolent world. Central Oregon Community College has been hosting programming to honor the Season of Nonviolence since 2008. This year’s theme is environmental justice and programs range from community book conversations, to panel discussions, to expert lectures.
There are many ways to participate:
- Join a Community Book Conversation on Braiding Sweetgrass
- Attend the Livestream Author Event with Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass
- Join for a discussion with Native American Economist, environmentalist and writer Winona LaDuke on The Green Path Ahead: Indigenous Teachings for the Next Economy
And many more! All programming is FREE and open to the public. Registration for all programs will open by January 10.
OUR PICKS
All We Can Save Book Circle
Join for an in-person, self-organized book circle. Starting February 9, this small group will create space for climate conversations and read All We Can Save: Truth, Courage & Solutions for the Climate Crisis” by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katherine K. Wilkinson. All We Can Save is an anthology of writings by 60 women at the forefront of the climate movement who are harnessing truth, courage and solutions to lead humanity forward. While the book is compiled and written by women, everyone is welcome to join the book circle. Class size is limited to ten people. Register here!
Join OSU Food Hero’s Grow This! Challenge
The Grow This! Oregon Garden Challenge, OSU-Extension’s statewide seed giveaway, returns in 2022 featuring pollination-themed kits and an enhanced partnership with the Oregon Potato Commission. Starting this month, households and schools can sign up to receive their seed kit via mail. Throughout summer and fall, participants will receive a monthly email with gardening information, harvest recipes and storage tips. Sign up here.
Upcoming Trainings from Earth Advantage
Earth Advantage and BetterBuiltNW have some new online continuing education courses that are now available and accessible to building professionals from the comfort of their home or office. These newly released trainings provide info on energy codes and resilient building, most available at no cost. View PDF for details.
